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Glenn from Port Arthur Asks-Officer Antoine thank you for this awesome column that has totally shaped the way I understand the Texas driving laws.  My question is I have a friend that lost their drivers license and they tried to renew it online and was not successful, you must have a certain audit number in order to renew your license online. Now of course they don’t have the audit number that’s at the bottom of a Texas license, well next they made an appointment and went inside the Department of Public Safety office and they told him he also need the audit number in order replace . Officer Antoine How can you have your drivers license audit number and you don’t have the license anymore & nobody knows that number help me help my friend thank you in advance have a wonderful day.

Answer-Good Question Glenn! 1st things 1st…..I need everyone who has a Texas Driver’s License and a cellphone to take a photo of your Drivers License or Identification Card and save it to your phots or some file. This photo of your license will NOT take the place of your government issued license or Identification Cards, but it can assist in registering to replace lost or stolen cards. 2nd EVERYONE need to take a moment and create an account with the Department of Public Safety for your Drivers license or Identification Card needs. The website is Texas.gov you will need your social security number, email address, and the 11-20 character audit number on the front bottom part of license or Identification card. Noe Glenn it was my understanding that if you do NOT have your audit number you can make an appointment with DPS to have an in person meeting to present your social security card and birth certificate to replace a lost or stolen license or ID card. Glenn you are correct nobody knows their audit number nor should they know it because unlike your license or ID number the audit number changes every time your card is replaced.

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Nun from Groves Asks- Officer Antoine I’m a weekly reader of your column and I find it very informational and entertaining source of information that’s distributed to citizens. I witness drivers who stop in spaces that are stripped for no parking and also in front of businesses and the one thing they all have in common is they turn on their flashers. I have read where you said the use of flashers were for slower moving vehicles so is it legal and permissible to turn on flashers to park in non parking areas?

Answer- Good Question Nun! Out of all the equipment that’s located on a motor vehicle I believe the hazards lamps are the most intriguing of them all. Nun drivers who park in non parking spaces and activate their hazard lamps know for certain they are illegally parking or they wouldn’t turn on the lamps. Nun when you park legally do you activate your hazard lamps, No you don’t because that’s uncalled for! Nun it is NOT permissible in the great state of Texas to activate the mighty hazard lamps to exit your vehicle and park in a no parking zone. What’s funny is the hazard lamps are like beacons beckoning law enforcement to come see about said vehicle with its hazard lamp activated. Basically motorist who turn on hazards lamps in fire lanes….are signaling the police, telling them come and see me parking where it’s illegal for me to park!!!!!

Tracy from Port Arthur Asks- Officer Antoine, I’m having a debate with my boyfriend about the usage of turn signals. If you are a driver of a car in a turn lane, let’s say it’s a turn only lane, and you are maybe the third car in line, do you have to put your turn signal on? Thank you for all your help you’re going to give me in advance. Love your column!

 

Answer- Good Question Tracy!  Apparently this is a difficult law to understand. Law Enforcement Officers find so many people on daily basis who fail to use their turn signals properly, whether it’s an indicator for lane changing, or making a legal turn. Tracy, the state law requires you use your turn signal when turning, and yes even if you’re the third car in line. The turn signal must be activated on your vehicle 100 feet before you intend to turn. 

Join Me, Officer Antoine and the CREW Stephen “Buzzard Boots” Mosley, Lelo “mouth of Hwy 69/73” I Washington & Tejas “Lil Man”Morning Star for Ask A Cop live, on KSAP 96.9 FM The Breeze radio station, every Tuesday for 2 hours from 1p-3:00p. Tune in and listen as Officer Antoine discusses in detail the newly released “Ask A Cop” article that’s printed in The News. You can also tune in via the internet www.ksap969thebreeze.org. Feel free to call in and ask your question live to Officer Antoine at (409) 982-0247. *Now Ask A Cop is printed weekly in El Perico Hispanic Newspaper and weekly broadcast every Tuesday at 4:30p-5pm on Hispanic radio station KVAP-LP 95.5fm. Remember to email your questions torickey.antoine@portarthurtx.gov, or call 409-983-8673 and leave a voice mail question, or mail them to: Ofc. Rickey Antoine,645 4th Street, Port Arthur, Texas, 77640. If you happen to see me in public you can always free and comfortable to approach and “Ask A Cop”!